The time has come to decorate a child’s bedroom, but where do parents start? Should they design the room around their child’s favorite cartoon character? Should parents paint the room to look like a jungle or a castle?
A good rule of thumb is to picture the room – and your child – in five years. Will the child still want a Barbie bed or a Spiderman bookshelf in five years, or will parents be forced to paint the room again and buy all new furniture? This guide will provide some important tips to remember when designing a child’s bedroom décor.
Keep Kids’ Rooms Simple
Children don’t need that much furniture. A bed, a dresser, a bookshelf and possibly a student desk are all the furniture pieces a child really needs. Keep the space in the child’s room open so she will have plenty of room to play and grow.
Buy Furniture, Not Toys
Filling a child’s room with bed castles, wooden slides and furniture play sets may seem like a good way to keep him entertained, but anyone with kids knows that they get bored with toys very easily. Buying toys that double as furniture is not a good long-term investment. Keep the toys and the furniture separate.
Avoid “Flexible” Children’s Furniture
It’s tempting to buy convertible furniture that “grows with the child,” but chances are she is not going to want growing furniture as she gets older. Not many teenagers want to sleep in their old toddler bed that has been converted into a twin bed.
When shopping for long-term furniture pieces, buy for the future. The child can always grow into a large bed, but it’s difficult enough for a 16-year-old to get out of bed in the morning without having to slide down a slide in the process.
Save Cartoon Characters for Linens
Avoid buying furniture with colors, characters or shapes that cannot be changed. If a child loves race cars, for instance, buy him race car sheets, blankets and curtains. Those can be replaced easily and without great expense.
Don’t Skimp on Price with Kids’ Furniture
Beware of cheap offers when shopping on the Internet for children’s furniture. You may get a good price, but without being able to physically touch the items you never know what kind of quality you’re getting. Also watch out for inexpensive items made of thin, flimsy materials. A bed that sells for less than $100 probably won’t last a child more than a couple of years.
Insist on High Quality Children’s Furniture
Try to buy solid wood furniture as opposed to laminate or particle board. Solid wood will cost more, but it will last much longer. Beware of furniture pieces that come in boxes. Don’t be afraid to open boxes or ask employees to put a piece together for you to see the final product. Pay special attention to hinges and corners to see how the piece is put together. These will be the weakest areas.
Buying kids’ furniture can be fun and exciting, but it can also be a waste of money without proper information. Keep an eye out for high-quality items that are reasonably priced, and be sure to buy items that can be used for years to come.
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